The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1887-10-20


is rooted among those who furnish
emigrants to this country that the en-
tire South is a hot-bed of malaria, a
home of Black Tongue and Yellow
Jack and dire fevers and loathsome
pe%stilences, like unto those commonly
considered the scourages of Africa. In
northern sections of our own country
a modified form of this belief has been
generally held up to latterly. To
some extent this is giving way and
Southern resorts for invalids are
eagerly sought now from all sections
of the country. But among the seek
ers are many who would as soon think
of opening a vein or swallowing a dose
of poison as of spending a summer in
the South.
Indifference to immigration still is
common among us. Indifference to
misrepresentation of ourselves, our
institutions and our country though
has given way to something very like
indignant resentment and reprisal. If
this feeling would arouse us to a just
consideration Of our situation and
needs, if it would spur us to look for
cause and apply remedy, its value
would be far above that Of a mere
sentimental emotion. For undoubt-
eddy these gross, selfish and ugly mis-
representations of us have each and
all of them some foundation Of facts,
some framing of verify upon which to
build. Upon only one of these points
will space be taken here now. Slavery
has been swept away. The institution
went down with a crash and carried
other things with it. Aristocratic
tendencies have met their correctives.
Poor white trash" has no longer a
meaning at the South.
THIS HEALTH QUESTION
though remains with us. To deal
with it wisely and radically is a duty
owing by the State to not only it's citi-
zens IN POSSE but those in IN EssE as
we'll. Cholera and yellow fever and
like exaggerated forms Of pestilence,
thank fortune we are not specially
called on to deal with. In many re-
CARDS the health of our State is above
reproach, but in n respect, and that
is the basis of the evil reports against
us-we are leaving u duty undone.
1t is worse than useless to turn our
backs and seal our mouths about it.
1t is idle to plead in extenuation that
other ills are common to other sections
worse than this. The fact remains,
and remains to our hurt that more
than half our fair State is constantly
subjected to the ravages of the diseases
springing from that thing which, for
the want of a better name, we call
MALARIA.
Until this pestilental enemy is
stamped out We need expect no better
repute abroad in this regard than we
now enjoy. We must sit still and see
the stream of immigration flow stead
lily past our door to the enrichment Of
other sections. Boomlets here and
there, local progress now and then we
may have, but steady and general
growth we cannot have as long as this
blighting curse menac the fairest
and most fruitful section Of our most
beloved State. The application of the
laws Of sanitary science is regarded
now the world over as a State duty
Should we be visited by an epidemic
of smallpox Of cholera the State Gov
eminent would enact laws and appro-
pirate moneys towards stamping it
out. How much more should govern
mental agencies be invoked to the
stamping out of this enemy Of health
and prosperity We have always with
us? 1t is not needful here to go into
the question Of how this is to be done.
1t is not worth while to answer the
fogies who will rise up and say it can't
be done at all.
SANITARY SCIENCE CAN DO 1T.
Sanitary science should be called to
the task at whatever cost. The proba-
bilities are that some years may be
needful to organize the preventive
means, but that these can be devised
and applied no one need doubt. A
law for instance forbidding the use of
impure water and regulating the stand
ard of acquative purity, strictly en-
forced, would probably 60 far-from
what we know now-towards modify
ing and mitigating malarial types of
diseases. M. Gimbert, a French scien-
fist, says the EUcALY PrUEs GLoBULUs,
an Australian tree, judiciously planted
IL